FF2 Onigetsu
by SK The Knight
Summary: Leon has kept to his word about replacing Palamecia and is becoming Emperor himself. However an outlander has come to open Jade Passage and terrorize the world once again. Based on Final Fantasy II for the NES. [Updated All Chapters]
1. Prologue: Indulgence

_Onigetsu_  
A Final Fantasy Story

**Prelude**

_Indulgence_

It's been fifty years since Hilda's rebellion had finally overthrown the Emperor of Palamecia. This couldn't have been accomplished without the valiant efforts of Firion, Maria, Gus, and various others who gave their lives for the sake of world peace. The whereabouts of these heroes remains passed away through the transcripts of time. Though Hilda reclaimed the land, Leon reclaimed Palamecia's seat as Emperor. The World Council debated and came to the conclusion that the world cannot be lead by a single person. As such, Hilda controlled the regions surrounding her while Emperor Leon controlled the regions surrounding him.

The underground cavern in Mysidia still stood. The White Mask placed on the statue standing in the far back center in all its glory was beginning to show the wrinkle of time. A lone man descended the stairs carrying some kind of artifact. He wore a black tunic with black slacks covering the most of his steel-toed boots. A black trench coat only made this man seem worse news. His face was concealed by a hood covering his head and face.

As this man neared the statue wearing the White Mask, a Wizard Guard ran up to the statue ever-vigilantly.

"Why do you come and terrorize this town and its residents?" the wizard hissed, seemingly ready to blast the man with some spell.

"I come for the Mask," said the trespasser flatly.

"What would you need to do with the White Mask? It's powerless without the Black Mask!" explained the wizard coldly.

"I realize that," the man said, reaching into his trench coat and pulling out another mask.

"The Black Mask!" the wizard gasped, "But how did you..?"

"I will be taking the White Mask now."

The wizard's staff brimmed with a mysterious magical force, "I won't let you!"

A shining ball of force erupted from the wizard's staff. The hooded man pulled an orb from one of his pockets and the gem brought the magic to a halt and the force simply sucked the magic inside and letting off a low hum.

"What in the world?" the wizard muttered in surprise.

"Behold the future of magic casting, wizard," the man said, placing the orb onto a crimson red sword.

"The future of magic casting?" the wizard asked in disbelief.

"Yes. Instead of going through the trouble of studying magic scrolls day-by-day, I attach this to my weapon and with a swing, I can cast magic! Now watch as I cast an Ultima spell without studying the forbidden scroll!"

"Ultima! The forbidden magic?" the wizard couldn't believe it. He was still trying to put together how such a strange man would get his hands on Ultima, much less contain it into the orb.

The wizard's thinking would mean his death as a surge of energy lifted him from the ground. A line of energy pierced out of his torso. The spell appeared as if it were being cast from inside the wizard. More lines of white hot energy pierced out the wizard until he completely imploded. The man grinned and advanced toward the White Mask, removing it from the statue.

"At last... Jade Passage will open once again and the world will know that peace is inevitable. I will gather an army, overthrow the higher ups, and keep this whole world under my thumb. I know I can do it... with the discovery of this orb; ...this materia..."

The maniacal man tucked away the mask underneath his trench coat and began ascending the stairs as the wizard's pointy hat fell lightly upon a puddle of its former owner's blood...


	2. Chapter 1: Revelation

_Onigetsu  
_A Final Fantasy Story

**Chapter 1**

_Revelation_

Paul ducked underneath the massive club of the huge ogre. The creature was a good 8 feet tall. Its hulking build was monstrous. No man could possibly be this large.

"Where the heck did you come from!" Paul exclaimed as he jumped over a low sweep of the dopey monster's studded club. The strike barely nicked Paul's black tabi boots.

"I thought Father said you guys didn't exist anymore!"

Paul, son of Pavel was just as proficient, if not more-so as his father in the art of thievery. He even stepped it up a notch. Where his father failed, Paul excelled. That said, he made distance with the gargantuan monster and unsheathed a pair of kodachi; eastern short swords. Held with the blade extending underneath the hand, these swords were straight and curved at their ends. Their simplicity, though traditional, didn't really strike the ogre as intimidating, however.

The ogre let out a vicious cry and started running at Paul.

'Keep focused,' Paul thought to himself.

The ogre leaped forward and brought down his large club that would perhaps hammer Paul into the ground where he stood. The hit seemed to connect. The ogre felt a slight resistance before its club split the dirt. However it wasn't so. What resisted the ogre's club was a dummy, now a mass of straw and wood. Paul found himself behind the ogre. He jumped up, grabbed a handful of the ogre's dirty brown hair, and ran one of his blades along his exposed throat. A satisfying spray of purple blood sprayed from its open gullet.

"Damn… I'm glad that's taken care of," Paul said with relief.

"What took you?" Pavel asked with slight disappointment.

Paul shut the door to the small hut, heaving in a large basket of rice.

"Dad," Pavel called warmly, "Remember when you told me the story about 6 years ago as a child how Emperor Leon and 3 other people saved the world from the monsters spawned from Jade Passage?"

"Of course," Pavel responded, however he was sort of quizzical as to why Paul asked such a random question.

"Well," Paul paused. He didn't really know how to bring about this revelation.

"I ran into a monster on my way to the rice fields," the little thief decided to bring out flatly.

After thorough explanation, Pavel sighed as he stroked his white beard. "Well, I suppose it is best that you go make an appointment with the Emperor,"he suggested.

"Sure thing dad," Paul answered as he started preparing a few rice balls for the trip.

Their home was now at a small inlet between Palamecia and Fynn. "Be sure not to leave Boko anywhere unattended!" Pavel called out. Boko was Pavel's mellow chocobo. Typically he was not any special breed, but he still got the transportation job done.

Paul looked back after jumping onto the bird's back.

"What about Queen Hilda?" Paul asked.

"I'll send a carrier pigeon to inform her," Pavel explained, "Remember, we're closer to her than we are to the Emperor. Watch yourself. His men aren't as laid-back and friendly as the Queen's."

"I will," Paul responded as he took off on Boko, "I'll be back within the week."


	3. Chapter 2: Consultation

_Onigetsu  
_A Final Fantasy Story

**Chapter 2**

_Consultation_

Leon was the new emperor of Palamecia since the fateful day when he and the others slashed away the new era 50 years ago. Time seemed to have little effect on this mighty warrior. Though he was about 72 years old, his solid figure didn't let up. He continued to train his body further. He remembered the old times when he and Firion would cross blades and spar to prepare for the battle against the late emperor. They even performed their magic on each other simply to train their endurance and intellect.

Paul jumped off Boko upon reaching Palamecia. The chocobo let out a deep 'kweh' of exhaustion. Paul ran his fingers along his companion's neck.

"You did a good job;" the ninja said proudly, "Now wait here. I'm going to go see the Emperor."

Paul looked around at the City of Palamecia. It was much different than it was 50 years ago. People lived peacefully here under the protection of Leon and his legion. It was the first time Paul had seen the place in a while. It must've been at least 10 years ago.

"Hold!" a soldier guarding the castle called flatly as Paul tried to enter the castle, "State your business, ninja."

Paul raised a brow, "I have some important news for the Emperor."

The guard looked Paul over. Paul was wearing all black, save for a dark gray scarf that covered most of his face below his brown eyes. His hair was a modest shade of white that couldn't possibly be natural. With the two short katana on his sides, it looked fancy nonetheless.

"Wheredoyou hailfrom, envoy?" the legionnaire asked while pulling up a small clipboard with a quill pen.

"I'm from the Palamecia – Fynn Border." The guard nodded, and wrote the information.

"Tell me what your message is. Then we'll have you come inside while we discuss this."

Paul crossed his arms and nodded. 'This is going to take a while...'

The arena of Palamecia still stood. At times, tournaments would be held for a prize in gil. These fights weren't to the death, of course. They were simply for the sport of it. While Paul was here, he decided to try his luck. Intel took a couple of weeks to get through the process of being verified as true.

"You're up kupo," a moogle beamed as Paul's turn came up.

The ninja looked at the tournament card... seemed like Paul was fighting someone named Biggs.

"Wait, I'm fighting a legionnaire!" Paul snapped.

Paul was sure of his ability, but this Biggs was a military soldier. No doubt they go through more rigorous training than Paul.

"Well, I guess we'll have to see how all the self-training pays off," Paul said proudly as he strode out of the lobby.

Biggs was pretty much a large walking suit of mythril armor. Paul raised a brow.

"And in the other corner," an unseen announcer spoke. It was a female voice, "Is a ninja; a master of stealth from the Palamecia – Fynn Border: Paul!"

Paul walked out and an outburst of cheers filled the arena. Seemed more people favored Paul than Biggs for some reason.

"The rules dictate that the first person who keeps their opponent down for 10 seconds or knocks them out of bounds, wins. Now... begin!"

Paul took his two katana from their scabbards and look over Biggs. The legionnaire took hold of a large, great axe. The obsidian weapon's head was attached to a pole. It was actually quite imposing.

"Usually people don't get killed in this tournament. But even with tailored leathers underneath that eastern suit, this axe can cleave you in two!" Biggs threatened.

"We'll see," Paul retorted with a grin.

Paul muttered a couple of phrases into his index and middle fingers. Strange, eastern symbols rose and disappeared.

'Now's my chance!' Biggs thought as he dashed forward with his axe letting out a battle cry. Paul threw away a small leaf that seemed to act as a wrapper and it looked as if there were four of him. Biggs stopped and jumped away.

"What the hell?" he grunted as he tried to discern the difference as the four images switched around.

All of them were see-through. Biggs swung at one of the images and it disappeared. The legionnaire looked directly at the image left of the one he just defeated... its back was facing him.

"Behind me..!" Biggs choked as he spun and got struck fiercely on his arm where the armor connects to his joints. Biggs let out a grunt as he dropped the upper part of his axe.

"You got lucky, ninja." Biggs said as he took a knee to signify his defeat.

"You're morecorrect than you might think, Biggs," Paul said, "If that left image was the real me, you probably would've cut me to pieces. They train you guys pretty good at the academy. I wouldn't be able to even think about carrying a weapon that big and wielding it comfortably. Try again next month. You show some pretty good promise. What's your rank?"

"Petty Officer," Biggs responded. "Well, Petty Officer Biggs... you'll go far. And your skill will be needed. You'll see why pretty soon. So go back, get some rest, and keep training... monsters are beginning to come back from the Jade Passage."


	4. Chapter 3: Endorsement

_Onigetsu_  
A Final Fantasy Story

**Chapter 3**

_Endorsement_

Paul rest his hands behind his head as the Coliseum's other contestants competed. He scratched his head as he looked at the roster.

'Hmm… I wonder why this guy's name is already in the finals by default,' he thought. He didn't dwell too much on it. Truth be told; Paul really wasn't very sure of his abilities. In no way did he believe that he would even make it to the semi-finals. He wasn't a soldier. He was simply a ninja who studied under a mentor long-since passed away…

"Come on, stop stalling and hit me already!" Tetsuo scolded.

Paul, only 10 years old at the time, leaped forward with his twin katana. A flurry of slashes, each fluid after the last, was all avoided by the much older Tetsuo. The old man himself carried a single dai-katana (Great Katana). It was the usual thin blade that you see swordsmen wield with two hands. It was roughly a foot longer than the blades that Paul used himself. Soon enough, Paul's rage would finally show promise. Tetsuo was having difficulty with Paul's never ending combination of strikes and the ninja in training saw it in his eyes.

'His anger, though based on frustration is intensely focused. He will be great someday if the time comes where blades must be used again.' Tetsuo thought.

Paul was beginning to become quicker. Tetsuo's age was beginning to take its toll and he would no longer be able to evade such fury. Soon enough, Tetsuo saw an opening in Paul's center and went for a deep thrust thatseemed to connect. Paul remained motionless… but there was no blood. Tetsuo's brows raised as Paul's image disappeared. The student was so fast that he left an image of himself even after he reached his destination.

'This is it,' Tetsuo thought grimly. He felt the blunt edge of Paul's blades press up against his throat and smiled.

"Sleepyhead, wake up, kupo!" a moogle squealed as he shook Paul.

The ninja let out a long exaggerated sigh and opened his eyes. It seemed like it was his turn to fight once again. He rubbed his eyes, stood up, and followed the moogle into the main arena area. He looked across at his new adversary… he was a black mage. He had to be one. It was fairly evident with his wide pointy had, beady yellow eyes peering from underneath, and navy blue robes. This went without mentioning the fancy staff he was toting there.

"Begin!" exclaimed the female voice.

The wizard smiled and his staff began to glow. Paul knew that he was at a disadvantage seeing how far away he was from his opponent.

"Crap…" he moaned as a green force surrounded the wizard and let a sudden outburst of large fireballs at machine gun-like repetition.

They were fast. Paul barely spun and ducked away from the trajectory of the incoming blasts of fire. The mage twirled his staff and a white force surrounded him this time. An orange ghastly clock face appeared and entered the black mage, giving him a red aura. His face didn't show, but he was evidently grinning.

Paul took this opportunity and began a dash at the black mage, totally dismissing the Haste 8 spell. With his twin katana, Paul thrust forward a stab with his left hand. Naturally the mage stepped out of the way. Paul ran his free hand's blade at the wizard just then. The mage parried the attack with his staff. However Paul wasn't so unskilled. The ninja would follow up smoothly with strike from his left hand yet again. The strike connected, spreading a stream of blood across the arena floor. The mage leaped back with a low grunt. Paul capitalized and continued to rush the wizard. The wizard took a chance and thrust his staff into Paul's abdomen. It took the ninja by surprise. He wasn't used to mages being so fast. Paul fell prone and the wizard began charging thunder power into his staff. Paul looked up and quickly caught his breath. He reached quickly into the folds of his uniform and took a chance of throwing a shuriken at the black mage. Paul cursed himself as the weapon left his hand uncontrollably on accident. The small weapon zoomed away taking only the black mage's hat with it. The black mage's true face was then seen. He wasn't too horrible to look at. His skin was tanned. His hair was long and bleached. His eyes however were still yellow as his magic was still being focused into his staff.

'So close…' Paul thought with a sigh.

He placed a scroll on the arena floor and a bubble-like green shield surrounded him. The black mage didn't see this and initiated his spell anyway. An intense yellow bolt launched itself at Paul. It pierced right through the shield and threw Paul back about 5 yards. The black mage let out a relieved sigh.

'That took all of my magical power,' the mage thought. Paul twitched a little but managed to stand up. The audience let out rejoices of surprise.

The black mage stepped back. "How did you..? That took all my power!" the mage exclaimed.

"You didn't see me use a scroll. The magic broke through my shell, but it stopped the main impact. That and your haste spell just wore off. You're completely drained," Paul responded wittily.

The black mage thought about alternatives, but there were none. He had his staff but with no magic power, it was useless. He closed his eyes and took a knee. Paul let out a sigh of relief. He and the black mage both knew that even though Paul was dangerously far from 100 percent, he would still win in an upright melee.

The sun was beginning to set. As Paul prepared for the final match against a man by the name of Zeth. It still bugged Paul as to how Zeth made the finals by default. Something was definitely up...


End file.
